Carl August Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was born at Galesburg, Illinois, in a small three-room cottage. Sandburg is remembered as one of the most important literary figures of the Twentieth Century. He was an American poet, biographer, journalist, and editor winning three Pulitzer Prizes: two for his poetry and one for his biography of President Abraham Lincoln.

Carl Sandburg’s boyhood home in Galesburg is now operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as an historic site, open for tours. The site contains the cottage Sandburg was born in and small garden with a large stone called Remembrance Rock with the inscription in bronze that reads, “FOR IT COULD BE A PLACE TO COME AND REMEMBER.”

Not only does the historic site preserve Sandburg’s birthplace but also serves as his burial place.  Carl Sandburg and his wife’s ashes are buried beneath the Remembrance Rock in the garden behind the cottage in which he was born.